There are restaurants that serve dinner, and then there are restaurants that invite guests into a story. Maria & Enzo’s Ristorante at Disney Springs does both, beginning with a setting that feels wonderfully removed from the ordinary.
The restaurant occupies a reimagined airline terminal inspired by the glamour of the 1930s, when travel was an occasion and getting dressed for the journey was part of the adventure. Its dramatic dining room, framed by soaring 50-foot ceilings and views of Lake Buena Vista, carries that romantic spirit into the present. Original-style aviation details and a spacious waterfront setting establish a sense of movement, possibility and escape before the first plate ever reaches the table. For guests seeking a quieter experience, the First Class Lounge offers a more serene space designed for adult dining.
It is an atmosphere that suits Disney Springs beautifully. The destination may be filled with energy, entertainment and crowds, but Maria & Enzo’s provides an opportunity to slow the pace. There is something celebratory about dining beneath those grand ceilings, whether the occasion is a birthday, an anniversary, a family gathering or simply the welcome decision to make lunch or dinner feel special.
The menu looks toward Sicily while embracing the familiar pleasures that make Italian dining so comforting. Handmade pastas anchor the experience, joined by fresh fish, steaks, antipasti and classic desserts. The result is approachable enough for a multigenerational meal yet polished enough for a date night or elegant evening out.
A table might begin with the house-made focaccia, accompanied by roasted garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, sea salt and Nonna’s Sunday gravy. The burrata caprese brings together tomatoes, basil and olive oil, while the calamari gains personality from hot cherry peppers, spicy marinara and garlic aioli. For sharing, the salumi and cheese presentation layers prosciutto di Parma, mortadella, coppa, aged Parmigiano-Reggiano and Italian cheeses with olives, local honey and crisp grissini.
The pasta selections provide some of the menu’s most inviting choices. Rigatoni alla Bolognese combines house-made pasta with a pork, beef and veal ragù, whipped ricotta and Parmigiano. Rosetta di Lasagna folds fresh egg pasta around ricotta, mozzarella, fontina, béchamel and a rich short-rib and pork ragù. The gnocchi alla caprese offers a brighter combination of pomodoro, sun-dried tomato, fresh mozzarella and basil pesto. Guests seeking a meatless option can consider the cauliflower ragù or campanelle with vegetables, white wine, Calabrian chile, butter and pecorino Romano. Gluten-free pasta is also available upon request, and diners may ask about vegetarian selections.
Beyond pasta, the dinner menu includes grilled salmon with Parmigiano potatoes and salsa verde, braised beef short rib over creamy polenta, chicken Parmigiana and a 14-ounce New York strip finished with aged balsamic. The range allows a table to move comfortably from rustic Italian favorites to more substantial celebratory entrées.
The drinks maintain the restaurant’s sense of occasion. Italian wines appear alongside signature cocktails, wine flights and after-dinner pours. Enzo’s Fedora blends bourbon, amaro, demerara and a house bitters mixture, while the Italian Margarita brings amaretto into the familiar tequila-and-Cointreau combination. Zero-proof choices are treated with similar care, including fruit-forward refreshers and alcohol-free functional cocktails featuring botanicals and adaptogens.
Dessert deserves its own moment. The Quattro Cannoli arrives as four distinct flavors—classic, pistachio, chocolate and hazelnut—making it particularly appealing for sharing. A lemon olive-oil cake is paired with whipped mascarpone, lemon curd and fresh strawberries, while the Coppa di Maria layers vanilla, chocolate and pistachio gelato with cookies and Amarena cherries. Traditional tiramisu provides a fitting conclusion for guests who believe an Italian meal should end with espresso, mascarpone and cocoa.
Maria & Enzo’s succeeds because it understands that atmosphere is more than decoration. The architecture, waterfront view, Italian menu and aviation narrative work together to create a restaurant that feels like a small departure from the day. In a destination built around imagination, it offers its own invitation: settle into your seat, raise a glass and allow dinner to take flight.
If You Go:
Maria & Enzo’s Ristorante is located at 1560 East Buena Vista Drive in Disney Springs, Lake Buena Vista. It is open daily from 11:30 a.m. until 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and until 11:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Reservations are recommended. Hours and menu selections are subject to change; visit mariaandenzos.com for current information.
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